Years ago, when he was the boy manager of the Cleveland Indians, Lou Boudreau was asked about the easiest path to a pennant. Replied Boudreau:

``Beat the hell out of the bums.``

To win a flag, Boudreau explained, a team can play .500 ball against the tough clubs but must win 7 or 8 out of 10 from the lesser teams. But because of a quirk in the schedule, the Cubs have been unable to take full advantage of Boudreau`s dictum.

They don`t play the last-place Phillies in June. Instead, on Sunday, the Cubs will complete a 17-game run against the three strongest teams in the National League East: the Expos, the Mets and the Cardinals. And in their first 15 games against these clubs they were 7-8.

I called Boudreau and asked if he had been watching.

``Oh, yes,`` replied the Hall-of-Fame shortstop who for many years was a fixture in the Cub broadcasting booth.

``I like the way they`ve been playing. One or two players haven`t been carrying the club. Everybody helps.``

And how does he see the Cubs over the long run?

``They`re going to get better.``

My sentiments exactly. The Cubs may or may not win their division, but barring another massive injury crisis, they should be a better club in August and September, when pennants are won.

Before losing to lead to the Expos Friday night in Montreal, they had held first place continuously since May 23, a span of 24 days. Nobody knows how much longer the Cubs can remain near the top, but this much is known: They are much improved over last year.

The Cubs` bullpen, which had been an Achilles heel, is now among the best, if not the best, in the league. They have a much deeper bench, which provides manager Don Zimmer with many more offensive options and, equally important, have a platoon of ``no-name`` players who have been making the most of their big chance.

Or as Stanley Frank, the late New York freelance author, once remarked,

``I don`t like to say this, but the hungry dog runs the fastest.``

That the Cubs are among the league leaders in hungry players was evident during a recent stretch of 12 consecutive games. Zimmer`s starting outfield during this sequence included some combination of Darrin Jackson, Lloyd McClendon, Gary Varsho, Doug Dascenzo and Dwight Smith. All earn $100,000 or less and are at the bottom of the major-league salary scale.

``I like it this way,`` said the barrel-chested McClendon, who is emerging as a power hitter. ``We have a bunch of no-name guys. People say they never heard of us.`` McClendon smiled. ``But we keep winning. I like that.``

Home runs and drives off the Wrigley Field ivy bring the fans to their feet. And though the Cubs have been on a power binge (23 home runs from June 1 through Friday), their success can be traced to their pitching, and specifically their five-man bullpen of Mitch Williams, Calvin Schiraldi, Jeff Pico, Steve Wilson and Pat Perry.

Williams fills the glamor role. He is the ninth-inning closer and has 15 saves in 20 opportunities, a remarkably good success rate of 75 percent. Schiraldi, who as the setup man doesn`t get nearly as many save opportunities, is 4 for 6. The bullpen, combined, has 21 saves in 28 opportunities. Six more and the Cubs will match their entire 1988 total.

Zimmer is among the few managers who don`t abuse the pitching save. It is baseball`s only major new statistic since runs batted in was adopted, in 1920, and can easily be bent to favor the closer. To earn a save, the reliever can enter with a two-run lead, or less, and two outs in the ninth. All he must do is retire one batter.

In a June 6 game against the Mets, Schiraldi was summoned with one out in the sixth to protect a two-run lead. He worked 2 2/3 innings. When the Mets came to bat in the ninth, the Cubs pulled Schiraldi and came in with Williams. Because the Cubs were leading by four runs when Williams appeared, he was not eligible for the save. Had Schiraldi worked the ninth, he would have picked up the save.

That Zimmer made the change anyway demonstrated he isn`t interested in team stats, or a player`s personal figures. This is the way it must be. Otherwise, a closer often is pumped up only when he enters with an opportunity for a save. In nonsave situations, some of the best relievers sometimes have a letdown. This can be avoided only when a reliever works in his regular pattern, regardless of the score.

A good bullpen helps make for a good manager. But an outstanding bullpen makes for an outstanding manager. Panned last year, when the bullpen repeatedly failed, Zimmer now has the luxury of five effective relief pitchers. It`s a tremendous advantage.

The starting rotation, as a group, has also been effective. The Cubs`

3.19 team earned run average is fourth best in the NL. Mike Bielecki, a retread acquired from Pittsburgh in the spring of 1988, is the most pleasant surprise. He leads the starters with a 2.33 ERA. How good is 2.33? It`s lower than the ERAs owned by Orel Hershiser of the Dodgers and Mike Scott of the Astros, two of the best starting pitchers in the league.

It`s possible that in the long run the Cubs will flop and sink into the second division. But their early success should not be discounted. Their no-names have been gaining valuable experience. In addition, all of the players have discovered they can successfully compete with the toughest teams in the division. A victory in June isn`t as important as a win in August or September, but cynics would do well to remember it still counts in the standings.